Virginia Cavaliers vs. Rider
HOW TO WATCH THE ‘HOOS:
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Date: November 3, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Channel: ACC Network Extra
Spread: Virginia -26.5
The Virginia Cavaliers open up the Ryan Odom era Monday night
at 7:00 p.m. ET.
The ‘Hoos tip off at 7:00 on ACCNX which is available on the ESPN website or the ESPN app with any TV provider that includes access to ACC Network (not including YouTubeTV given that YouTube and Disney have failed to come to a deal to stream Disney channels on the service).
Stay tuned to Streaking the Lawn before, during, and after the game for immediate analysis and coverage of the final result.
Pregame Content
Previewing UVA basketball’s season opener vs Rider
Can Malik Thomas make the jump to ACC stardom?
What will Thijs de Ridder bring for UVA basketball this season?
What’s in store for UVA basketball’s frontcourt?
What does Virginia point guard Dallin Hall bring to the table?
What to expect from UVA basketball’s 2025-26 backcourt
Game Notes
Lastly, here are game notes courtesy of the UVA Media Relations department.
For Openers
• Virginia begins its 121st season of men’s basketball, sporting a 1,760-1,234 (.588) all-time record.
• UVA is 25-2 in its last 27 season-opening games.
• The Cavaliers are 97-23 all-time in 120 season-opening games.
• UVA is 104-11 at JPJ in non-conference play since 2009-10.
• Rider’s Maurizio D’Alessandro is a Charlottesville native. D’Alessandro played youth basketball with and against UVA’S Carter Lang, Desmond Roberts and Chance Mallory.
• D’Alessandro’s father, Ben, served as a graduate assistant coach at Virginia in 1998-99 under Head Coach Pete Gillen, his coach as a player at Providence.
• Ryan Odom is 5-5 all-time in season-opening games as a head coach (2-3 at UMBC, 1-1 at Utah State, 1-1 at VCU and 1-0 at Lenoir-Rhyne).
The New Head Coach
• Ryan Odom was named the University of Virginia’s Dean and Markel Families Men’s Head Basketball Coach on March 22.
• Odom became the 13th head coach in the program’s history.
• He spent the last two seasons at VCU, leading the Rams to a 52-21 record and 2025 NCAA Tournament berth.
• VCU won the 2025 Atlantic-10 Tournament and shared the A-10 regular-season championship.
• UVA is Odom’s fifth stint as a collegiate head coach. Over the past 11 seasons, he has compiled a career record of 222-127, including stops at Utah State (2021-23), UMBC (2017-2021), Lenoir-Rhyne (2016) and Charlotte (2015, interim head coach).
• Odom led UMBC, Utah State and VCU to the NCAA Tournament during his second season at those schools.
• He led Lenoir-Rhyne to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 in 2016.
• Odom coached UMBC to a stunning upset against Virginia in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament in Charlotte, marking the first time a No. 16 seed defeated a No. 1 seed in the event’s history.
All Time vs. Rider
• Virginia is 1-0 all-time vs. Rider, defeating the Broncs 76-49 at John Paul Jones Arena on Nov. 19, 2009.
• Mike Scott tallied 17 points on 8 of 9 shooting to lead Virginia.
• Sammy Zeglinski added 12 points, while Jeff Jones added 11 points and Sylven Landesberg chipped in 10.
• UVA shot 51.8 percent from the field, went 7 of 16 from 3-point range, and won the rebound battle, 42-27.
There’s No Place Like Home
• Virginia is 256-63 (.803), including a 10-7 mark in 2024-25, in 19 seasons at John Paul Jones Arena.
• UVA is 40-10 in its last 50 home contests.
• UVA is 104-11 in non-league action at JPJ since 2009-10.
• UVA has won 10+ home games for 16 straight seasons.
